FIVE-LENS CAMERA WITH MOVABLE INTERNAL MASK FOR SINGLE OR QUADRUPLE IMAGES

Abstract: The invention concerns a new kind of camera, preferably for instantaneous development films, provided with five lenses (Oc, Op), four (Op) of which are placed at the vertices of an imaginary quadrilateral, while the fifth (Oc) is positioned at the centre. By means of a single external mechanism an internal movable mask (M) is raised or lowered and at the same time the release either of the four shutters (Xp) of the peripherical lenses (Op) or the shutter (Xc) of the central lens (Oc) is activated.

Description: TΠ E FINE-LENS CAMERA WITH MOVABLE INTERNAL MASK FOR SINGLE OR QUADRUPLE IMAGES DESCRIPTION At present there are cameras that produce a single image on a film and cameras provided with four lenses that produce four identical images on four portions of a single film. There are also cameras that can produce one or four images, equal to or different from one another, indifferently, on the same film. The latter employ complex systems of lenses and mirrors, owing to which they are very expensive and cumbersome. Therefore, a new kind of camera has been designed and carried out, which produces single or quadruple images, indifferently, on the same film. The new camera is provided with five lenses; four of them are positioned at the vertexes of an imaginary quadrilateral, while the fifth is placed at the centre with respect to the other four. The camera is equipped with an internal movable mask provided with four rectangular holes, which divides the film in four portions, which are placed side by side in pairs. A mechanism controlled by a lever or by an external knob superimposes or removes the internal mask from the film and deviates the action of the release trigger, exclusively, towards the shutters of the peripherical lenses or towards the shutter of the central lens. When the user wants to obtain a single image, he has to activate the external lever or the knob in such a way as to lower the internal mask and to press the release trigger that activates only the shutter of the central lens. When, on the other hand, the user wants to obtain four identical and separate images on the same film, he has to activate the lever or the knob in such a way as to raise the internal mask and to position it before the film and to press the release trigger that activates only the shutters of the four peripherical lenses. The images projected by the four lenses pass through the four holes of the mask that separates the four images distinctly. Further, the central lens can be partially moved back toward the film by means of the same mechamsm, in order to prevent said central lens from taking up a part of the field of vision of the peripherical lenses. When, instead, the mechamsm is activated again to obtain a single image, the central lens is moved forward and brought back to its correct position. Besides, to prevent the images of the four lenses from interfering with one another creating superimpositions or halations around the edges, both the four lenses and the mask are internally provided with vertical and horizontal screens (telescope-shaped) parallel to the axes of the lenses themselves. The following is just an example among many of the invention in question, illustrated in the attached table. Figure 1 shows the front part of the camera, while Figure 2 shows a vertical longitudinal section of said camera. It is possible to see the four peripherical lenses (Op) and the central lens (Oc) with their respective shutters (Xp, Xc), the internal movable mask (M), rotating around the pin (G), arranged in raised position and, indicated with a broken line in lowered position, the lever (L) that raises and lowers the mask (M) and selects the shutters (Xp, Xc) activated by the release trigger (P), the view-finder (K), the screw for the fastening to the stand (R); it is possible to see clearly also the screens (Sm) present on the mask (M) and the screens (So) present around the lenses (Op), which keep the four images separated, in such a way as to avoid superimpositions or halations around the edges of the images. In the section of Figure 2 the central lens (Oc) is represented in backward position, in order not to influence the field of vision of the peripherical lenses (Op). Figure 3 shows a detail of the mask (M), on which the four different holes and the screens (Sp) are visible. The above are the basic outlines of the invention, on the basis of which the technician will be able to provide for implementation; therefore, upon implementation, certain variants may be present, without any negative effect upon the basic innovation. With reference to the above description and the attached tables, the following claims are put forth.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) Camera characterized in that it is provided with five lenses, four of which, called peripherical lenses, are positioned at the vertexes of an immaginary quadrilateral, and one of which, called central lens, is placed at the centre of said quadrilateral itself, and where the latent image of each of the four peripherical lenses is subtended by a different fourth part of the film, while the latent image of the central lens is subtended by the whole film and where by means of a lever or a knob it is possible to activate, through the release trigger, either the shutters of the four peripherical lenses or the shutter of the central lens only. 2) Camera according to claim 1, characterized in that it is internally provided with a movable mask with four preferably rectangular holes, which is positioned before the film in such a way as to divide it in four different areas on which the images of the four peripherical lenses are projected, and where said mask is raised or lowered either by the same lever or knob selecting the shutters or by other mechanisms. 3) Camera according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the central lens is horizontally translated by said lever or knob or by other linkages, so that said central lens doesn't take up part of the field of vision of the peripherical lenses when the user wants to obtain four images on the same film, and where said central lens is brought back to its correct position by the same mechanisms when the user wants to obtain a single photograph. 4) Camera according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that both the peripherical lenses and the mask are provided with vertical and horizontal screens parallel to the axis of the lenses, in such a way as to avoid the partial superimposition of the four images or halations around the edges of the images.

Inventors: FIORENTINI ACHILLE, FIORENTINI, ACHILLE
Applicants: FIORENTINI ACHILLE, FIORENTINI, ACHILLE
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G03B19
IPC codes: G03B19